Sophie Phillips is Miss Delaware 2021

Frank Gerace Published Jul 4, 2021 at 2:30 pm 

A University of Delaware graduate student is Miss Delaware 2021.

She was convinced to try competing in beauty pageants by a friend at UD during her undergraduate days, said Bear resident Sophie Phillips.

"She had been competing for a couple of years and thought I'd be a good fit for the organization, and it took a couple years of convincing, but I decided to do a local competition in southern Delaware and I won, went to states that year, had an amazing time and decided I had to do it again," said Phillips.

Phillips added contrary to what outsiders might think, competing in beauty pageants is fun, because the contestants all get along.

"We are competing against each other, but we're rooting for each other as well, so backstage, we're dancing with each other, we're wishing each other luck, if someone does really well, it's high fives and hugs all around. It's not that atmosphere that we usually think of with pageants, where it's a tight competition and people are trying to avoid each other," said Phillips.

Phillips, who's pursuing a Master's degree in Energy and Environmental Policy, said her career goal is to be a park ranger.

She added the next year will be very busy for her, including prepping for December's Miss America pageant in Connecticut, doing volunteer work and making personal appearances, but graduate school has prepared her for a hectic schedule.

https://www.wdel.com/news/sophie-phillips-is-miss-delaware-2021/article_eb8dfc74-dcf5-11eb-83ad-ffdbd945068e.html